


Runaway Speedster

by kurenohikari



Series: The Chronicles of a Runaway Speedster [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Family, Friends to Lovers, Hurt Barry, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, M/M, Protective Rogues, possessive Len
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2018-12-09 08:51:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11665734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurenohikari/pseuds/kurenohikari
Summary: When I ran away from Joe's place, I thought I would be seeing the only family I had left, not to make a new one. A kind of family I had thought lost forever when my mother was killed. I still blame Joe for what happened that day, if he had never forbidden me from seeing my dad I would have never run away from his house... not that I regret it at all.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Selena Eclipse-Quill my beta](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Selena+Eclipse-Quill+my+beta).



When I ran away from Joe's place, I thought I would be seeing the only family I had left, not to make a new one. A kind of family I had thought lost forever when my mother was killed. I still blame Joe for what happened that day, if he had never forbidden me from seeing my dad I would have never run away from his house... not that I regret it at all.  I still remember that day as if it was yesterday. There had only been a sprinkling of clouds, and I could only hear the pounding of my heart in my ears. In the background, I could hear a siren wailing. In my desperation I ducked into a dark alleyway, and hadn't watched where I was going. I glanced behind me for a single moment, and smacked straight into a wall of muscle. "Whoa, there kid! Where do you think you are going," someone drawled. When I felt his hands on me, I started to panic "Stop it kid! Otherwise you'll fall," the man warned me. I was able to relax then, cause I knew he wasn't going to hurt me. On the other hand, he was helping me out "That's better. Now, what is a little squirt like you doing out here. Don't you know an alley like this is a dangerous place?" I blushed embarrassed, at being caught so early in my journey. Surely, now he'll drive me back to Joe's house "Come one Scarlet, tell me." I hesitated before telling, hesitated if I should tell him or not. And, as if sensing my distress, he kneeled in front of me and flashed a kind smile- I noticed that it was forced, he must not have been so used to behaving like this, but his effort was what I appreciated.

"Where are your parents, kid?" He asked.

"M... my da... dad.... he..." I stuttered, looking at my shoes- unaware of the growing sense of dread and anger in the other man.

"Scarlet, does your dad... hurt you?"

I looked up and glared at him. "Hell, no! My dad never hurt anyone! Why does no one believe me!" I ignored the man's expression of surprise, and continued my rant. Looking everywhere but him. "They got the wrong man! It was the man in yellow!"

I looked up into icy eyes that were slowly thawing, and decided to trust him. I lowered my voice accordingly. "My mom was murdered six months ago by a man in red lightning. My dad was taken in as the only suspect when his fingerprints were found on the knife used in her death. But he didn't kill her! Trust me... please. He was just trying to save her."

The stranger cocked his head and looked at me expressionlessly, as if he was trying to read me. "I believe you."

"Really?!" I exclaimed disbelief, my eyes widening. He had been the first person to believe me. "You don't think I'm crazy? Won't ship me off to a shrink?" I questioned suspiciously. Thinking this was too good to be true.

The stranger threw his head back and laughed. I blushed, knowing he wasn't laughing with me. However, I didn't feel bad, because I knew it wasn't malicious. He was just amused by me.

"I've seen my share of weird things, kid. Nowadays, technology can do a lot of the previously impossible. If you're sure, that your dad didn't kill your mom. Then I believe you. No one, should tell you what to think or how to feel. That's only your job. I'm sure that the man in yellow used advanced technology to do it. You are not crazy, Scarlet." He assured me.

I looked at the strange man in front of me in wonder. He didn't know me, doesn't know my story. Has no reason to believe me. However, he is the only one since my mother's murder to trust me. I looked at him in a new light. His glacier eyes shining with comprehension and kindness- just like the glare of the sun on ice. His short, gelled hair, and almost cocky smile. His stylish clothes fit him so well, that he looked like those models from the magazines. He was a man I could look up to, someone I could trust cause he trusts me back.

"Where are you going to, kid?" his question, snapped me out of my admiration. I blushed when I noticed his smirk, knowing that I was caught staring- which is very impolite and my mother always told me not to do.

"Iron Heights," I answered honestly. "My foster father forbid me from seeing my dad."

His eyebrows pulled together into a frown. "Why, you did tell him what you saw, right?" I only looked at the ground. He made the correct assumptions, "He didn't believe you, did he, Scarlet?"

"No." I said in a small voice.

"What do you have in that bag of yours?"

"My most precious items." I replied.

"You're trying to runaway aren't you?" I only nodded my head, but it was enough for him to continue. "Would you like to come with me? We're a small group. My big friend Mick, he might seem scary and not talk much. But he can be trusted. And my little sister, Lisa. She is only a little older then you. It's clear you're not happy with the foster family you have. Who was your foster father anyway?"

"Detective Joe West." 

He frowned at my answer. "Another reason to come with us. I've never trusted cops anyways. They are hypocrites, all of them. What do you say? Are you up for an adventure, kid?"

I thought about it for awhile, then responded with a grin. "If you let me to see my dad, I'll go with you."

"Deal, Scarlet."


	2. The dark side of the moon

Leonard Snart was a thief who did not put much sentimental value in fathers. But when Barry had walked out of that room with tears in his eyes, Len had almost lost it. No kid deserved to feel that way, especially when their father was wrongly accused of murder. He’d felt that way too many times as a kid when his father had threatened to hurt Lisa when Len would refuse to do what he was told to.

He couldn’t really listen to what Henry had been saying. But his face held a wealth that even Barry’s words couldn’t match. He was upset that he couldn’t be there, hugging his son, or even better living with him. Leonard nodded to himself, Barry would be well taken care of when his dad was exonerated.

After calling some of his contacts in Iron Heights, making sure that no video of their visit was left intact, Len carried Barry, on his shoulders, towards his safe house. The last thing he needed was the police after his ass, when that idiotic detective finally realizes that Barry is gone and this time not coming back.

”I don’t want to leave Central City” mumbled the young boy, against the older man’s hair.

”I know you don’t, neither do we. Central City is our home after all, our city” replied Leonard, his vocie taking a kinder and softer tone “But do you want to go back to the detective’s house?” 

“No” Barry answered, shaking his head.

”Then, we need to leave the city. Otherwise, the police will find us. But it won’t be the last you see of Central City. You will grow and find a way to prove that your dad is not guilty, then we will come back and you will live happily ever after with him” Len comforted the young boy, who in so little time found a way to squirm himself inside my heart- though, it might be because he sees part of himself on the recently nicknamed Scarlet.

”Do you really think so?” The broken little voice of the boy, saddened Len as nothing ever did since he and Lisa left Lewis’ house.

”I don’t think so. I am sure of it” Leonard replied.

The thief said nothing when he felt tears fall against his head. He simply allowed the boy to let it all out, to cry to his heart’s content. Len simply let him mourn the loss of his parents, something he was not allowed to do the last six months. But it did not mean that Leonard had nothing to say about the whole situation, the unjustice Scarlet and his father went through is something no family should live. 

The thief was furious and wanted to simply break in and free Henry Allen. However, he also knew that’s not what the Allens would want. That they deserved more than being turned into runaways and a life in the shadows. So, he decided to take his time. To be patient and scheme a plan no one will be able to stop, two things he was very good at. 

But that’s for later, right now he had other things at hand. Like presenting Scarlet to the gang, to the Rogues.

”Lenny! You are back! What took you so long?” The loud voice of his little sister resonated against the walls, as soon as the boys entered the safe house “Who is the boy? Did you kidnap him?” She asked, once she noticed Barry.

The question itself wasn’t strange. Though, the smile she had when she asked them sent shiver through Barry’s spine. It just wasn’t normal for a kid to smile brightly while asked their sibling if they kidnapped someone. The only comofrt Scarlet had was that she and Len were related, and anyone related to Leonard couldn’t be bad. Could they?

”Len, we need to talk. It’s about... who is the boy? Did you kidnap him?” A muscular man, covered in scars, asked.

”Why do you all keep thinking I kidnapped the boy?!” Exclaimed Len, only receiving a raised eyebrow from his companions “Ok, I can see why that would be the first conclusion you come up with” he drawled “But I did not kidnap him. If anything I saved him. He will be joining us from now on” he announced, not even asking for their input in the decision. Being the one in charge had its perks “Scarlet these are: Lisa Snart, my little sister, and Mick Rory, my partner in crime” the last part was said in hopes the kid would interpretated as a joke, which he did “I am Leonard Snart”

”Leonard” Barry giggled “It seems that we have bad names in common. My name is Bartholome Allen, but everyone calls me Barry... though, you’ve been calling me Scarlet since we met”

”Well, you did blush a nice shade of scarlet” Len drawled, smirking when the boy showed him his adorable blush once again “See? From now on you will be Scarlet for me, kid. Now why don’t you go and play with my sister, while Mick and me deal with some businesses?”

”Ok” Barry agreed, rushing towards the older girl as soon as he was put down.

”Lead the way” the thief demanded, with a cold glare- knowing what Mick was going to say before he saw Scarlet.

Rory didn’t think it twice before guiding Snart towards the safe house’s basement.

”Cute kid” the fire lover grunted, as they were descending the stairs.

”He is, but his innocence is worrysome. Especially, now that he will be joining us. He didn’t find anything wrong with a strange man taking him in or by the fact that a group of mismatched strangers didn’t even blink when they found out a runaway was joining them” Len replied “Though, it’s part of his charm” he added the last part, more to himself than to Mick, with a fond smile.

Rory noticed said smile, but didn’t mention it. Not being one to meddle with someone else’s life. But making a mental note to check on his partner’s fondness with the new kid. It might be troublesome in the long run. 

All thoughts about the kid and his partner left Rory’s mind as soon as they reached their destination.

Right there, in middle of the basement, was Christophe de la Roue, tight up against a chair. He was clearly unconscious and beaten up.

”What did you get out of him?” Leonard demanded to know, never taking his eyes off the man who almost kidnapped his little sister.

”He was hired by Lewis to find out who the Winter Thief is. After you both got him into prison, again, you both simply disappeared from the face of earh and he could not find any of you. From Iron Heights he called his contacts to hire someone to track you down. But that was only after he started hearing from the Winter Thief, who Lewis says that you are the only one smart enough to be” Rory’s words angered Len like nothing else did “Don’t worry, he hasn’t contacted anyone with the information he has”

You see, Leonard is no killer... at least, not when he doesn’t have to. Len is a thief, not only for the money but also for the thrill of it. The only times he had to kill was during his first years on the business, and only because Lewis forced him bythreatening Lisa. And when his identity is threatened, which seems to be the case right now.

Praising himself on choosing a safe house with a soundproofed walls in the basement, he pulls out his gun and without a second thought shoots the bastard dead.


	3. New beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Selena Eclipse-Quill my beta.

Disposing of the body wasn't that much of a work, not after being trained since little to do it and having a vast experience since your best friend is a pyromaniac. Soon afterwards they moved to Coast City for a new beginning... at least, that's what Barry believed. In reality the Rogues simply needed a place to keep their heads down until Lewis the Idiot would stop looking for them. Also, Leonard knew the powerful people there. They respected the thief and the thief respected them... or as much as they could in the range of job they are in. It was more like a don't mess with me and I don't mess with you, and if you ever need help we will lend you a hand if you do the same for us... as long as helping you out won't disadvantage us, much.

Not to mention they had a house there. Not any kind of house, like the safe houses they had gathered all over the coast, no. A completely legal house under their name. Talking about names, the first thing they gang did when they arrived to Coast City was to contact an old friend of theirs and have new identity papers done for Barry. They let him keep his first name but they put Rory as his last name, legally- or more likely illegally- turning him into Mick’s little brother.

Once they’ve settled and had the kids enrolled into a local school, Len and Mick started planning their bar opening. After all, they needed a way to justify why they had so much income without working. The last thing they needed was to raise suspicion from their neighbors, or worse the local police. Surprisingly, it was Rory who came up with a great name for the bar: Angels and Demons. Angels representing the pure kids of their gang and demons making a nod to the thieves in their little mismatched family.

”Why the hell do we need to open a damn bar?!” Complained Mick, again, as the took another break from helping with the preparations for the opening.

“Do I really need to explain it again?” Replied Len, losing his patience- and for someone like him to lose his patience it was really rare.

”I get it, but there is no need for it. If the police ever came for us you surely will have an escape plan ready and I will get to burn some dumb police officers” crackled the pyromaniac.

”Right now the only dumb person is you, Micky” snapped the cold lover “Listen, because this will be the last time I’ll repeat it and if you make me lose my patience even more I will end up shooting you” he threatened “If we make havok around here it will only end up with Lewis finding where the hell we are and what we have been doing. Not to mention, that all this years keeping my head low and my record clean will go to the trash. Also, that detective." He spat the word like it was poison, "that used to be Scarlet’s foster father might end up hearing something about the whole situation and start his sarch for Scarlet all over again”

”Strangely you sound more worried about that kid’s situation than your father finding out about you and your record being tainted” commented Mick, not even flinching when his partner gave him an ice cold glare that would have any other person in their knees begging for forgiveness “You are getting too attached”

”Are you implying I am going soft” drawled Len, ready to snap at any moment.

”You’ve always been soft, partner,” Mick drawled back- or at least he tried to. “You are a thief, a good one, but simply a thief. Not a serial killer or a hit man. You only get rid of people when they are a threat to your sister... and now that kid you brought with you. What will you do when he finds out about what you did... what you do? He already showed signs about how much he believes in justice and how much he loathes killers”

”From all the moments you had to act and say smart things you chose to focus on this” sighed Leonard, not liking one bit that someone else notice the attachment he has on Barry “I don’t know. But I have time until then, enough to make a plan and have it ready to function at any moment. Until then I don’t want to hear a thing about it from you. Understood?”

”As you wish, your highness” mocked Rory, but he also knew better than to go against his partner- Leonard Snart is the last person you want to piss off, after all he always pays his debts.


	4. The beginning of Team Flash

Barry slammed his locker door closed, behind it Lisa was leaning against the lockers. He flinched, startled.

 

She grimaced, "sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

 

Barry shrugged. "No worries, this locker just refuses to close sometimes."

 

She patted his shoulder, "I'm sorry you have to go through this routine of being new. It's not fun."

 

Barry shrugged again and gave a long, suffering sigh.

"At least I can go to school."

 

Lisa gave him an appraising glance, he had taken decently to their life. She wasn't worried about him, she was more worried about the bullies that she knew prowled any school.

 

"I know how to get to my first class. Thanks," he paused. "Thanks for everything."

 

She gave him a small smirk and pecked his cheek. "Yeah, sure thing cuz."

 

As Barry walked down the hallway, his mind didn't comprehend it. It was pretty surreal, now he understood what it was like for those other new kids he had met back in Central. He walked up to the door, and knocked.

 

The teacher opened the door. "Oh, you must be Bartholomew Rory." Barry blinked, he had to get used to that.

 

He grinned sheepishly, "it's Barry actually."

 

The teacher nodded, "Come in. Sit in any of the empty seats."

 

Barry scanned the room. He knew the Central City High School hierarchy, seemed it was similar here. The most popular in the back, the nerds up front. He chose wisely, or was it really that way.

 

"Hi, I'm Cisco." The hispanic teen stuck out a hand.

Barry nodded and took it. On his other side a brunette introduced herself as Caitlin.

 

"Hi." Barry responded shyly "I'm Barry, but you both already knew that" babbled Barry, blushing that precious scarlet that Len adores so much.

 

Luckily, his lab partners did not laugh at him. On the other hand, they smiled at each other, as if they were sharing a secret, and then beamed at the new boy.

 

"I believe that this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship" the latino boy replied, wrapping an arm around the other boy.

 

Barry smiled to himself, happy about making two friends on his first day of school. However, he was also sad. After all, he does not know how long will this friendship last. He hopes many years before they have to move away again. But for now, Barry decided to simply enjoy the innocence and joy of being a simple student even though if he isn't.


	5. The cat is out of the bag- Part One.

It was a late night. Barry was walking carefully, trying not to spill the drink in his hands. He spun around one person nearly slammed into another, then he finally made it to the table. Even after two years of working there he still got stares. Then again who in their right mind would hire a twelve years old- now fourteen- to work at a bar?

He put the drink down with care, the teen turned around and nearly walked into another club goer.

”Hey, watch where you’re going kid.”

”Sorry,” Barry mumbled, and moved to step around the man, only to get his arm caught in a heavy grip.

”What’s your name, kid?” He asked roughly.

”Barry,” he replied slowly.

”Nice name,” he said and walked away, tilting drunkenly.

Barry blinked confused, then shrugged and pushed his way through the crowd to the kitchen. “Lisa! What else is there?”

”Two whiskeys at table ten.” She replied over the loud sound of the blender making a smoothie.

Barry nodded, turned and nearly spilled the drinks when Len brushed by quickly. “Sorry.”

”Just be careful Scarlet.” Len didn’t pay him much attention, just enough to get him on his way and go back to his office.

Barry eyed the man suspiciously, he never went to his office this late in the night. Barry vowed to investigate as soon as his shift ended in ten minutes. In fact, his replacement, Becky, was already there. Barry passed the drinks to the people and managed a few more baskets of fries before it was Becky’s turn. Finally, Barry snuck into the back, carefully eyeing Lisa to make sure she didn’t catch him. Then darted into the little hallway that lead to the office. The door was open, and Barry crouched down to listen.

”As far as I can tell, the only reason Henry was arrested because he was there at the scene.”

Len made a low growling sound, “The man was a doctor, they should have realized he was trying to save her.”

Barry sucked in a low breath. They were talking about his father, what else would they say?

The other man spoke again, “Snart, I snuck in like you told me to. Now where is my pay?”

Leonard sighed heavily, “Yeah, it’ll be wating in the park where you told me to leave it.”

The man nodded behind the door. “Good, it’s noce to know that despite the fact you retired from being a thief you still know how to handle business.” He stood up and turned his back, “Nice to see you again Len, I’ll tell Daddy you haven’t been naughty yet.”

Len ground his teeth. He had very well known what he was doing, tapping into his father’s network was risky but a fast way to get things done. To be honest he was glad he had listened to what Mick had told him to do. The bomb was hidden deep in the money, in a sealed pocket. Set to go off in a few hours, Len hoped the man was still holding onto the package when it blew. Barry meanwhile had snuck away back to the kitchens and was quickly making his way home. He blinked back tears, and swallowed some sobs. He had no idea what he was going to do, did Lisa know? Did Mick know? Was Barry wrong to actually like Len? They’d never seemed dangerous to him, would he be killed if they find out he knows? Was he really their friend? What if they hadn’t meant a single word they had said?

Barry tiptoed past Mick’s room, where the bear of a man was snoring calmly. He’d tell Lisa in the morning, Barry decided. It was the best thing to do.


	6. The cat is out of the bag- Part Two.

Barry woke up and stretched his arms above his head, that was until he remembered the last night. He slumped back onto his bed and sighed. Mick and Len were out, now it was the perfect moment to ask Lisa.

So, Barry got up and started making breakfast like he always did on the weekends. Finally, Lisa woke up and Barry was nervously glancing up the stairs, trying to make sure that Leonard wasn’t going to pop up anytime soon. Lisa glared at him suspiciously from beneath her bangs. “Spill it.”

Barry looked down and snorted. “Trust you to notice."

"What else do you expect? I am a Snart after all, we never miss stuff like this" the girl replied.

"Yeah, yeah..." sighed Barry, not knowing how to phrase what he saw yesterday. He still could not believe what he heard "Yesterday, your brother had a meeting in his office... and they were talking about Len's past...” Lisa’s eyes widened slightly, noticing her reaction Barry stopped, eyes narrowed in return. “What is going on?”

Lisa winced and looked up from her plate, guilt changing to shock in seconds. Behind Barry, Len was standing by the kitchen doorway, a look of severe strain on his face. Barry turned around, and flinched at being caught.

 _I’m in troubel now, aren’t I?_  The boy thought, in distress.

Len flinched himself at seeing the young boy's reaction.

Barry eyed the backdoor, noticing this Lisa moved to block it. Mick, then, lumbered into the kitchen from the third door and paused. Barry froze, shit that was all of them. All the exits were blocked now. Which meant no escape plan.

Mick stared at the tense scene, and rumbled lowly. “What’s going on?”

Len didn’t say anything. So Lisa, with her eyes on the other teenager, answered for him. “Barry listened in on Len’s meething last night.”

Mick nodded, and looked at the teen. “What are we going to do with him then?”

Barry kept as still as possible, like they wouldn’t notice he was there.

Len clenched his jaw, “We’re not going to do anything with him. He is family”

Barry didn’t move, trying not to fall into false hope. Even if they were not going to harm him, he wasn't as naive as to believe they hadn't hurt someone else before.

Lisa rolled her eyes and approached the frozen teen. She slung an arm around his shoulders and snorted. “Of course not, this doesn’t change anything.”

Mick came up behind him and picked him up, “Yeah, I think so too.”

Len eyed them from the door, then he sighed and snatched  Barry from Mick's arms. He embraced the boy from behind and murmured softly: “I may have picked you up off the street but that doesn’t mean your not part of our family now. We have each other's backs, we don't harn or betray family. Actually that was what I was doing yesterday. Your father was wrongly thrown into jail. So I sent someone to investigate into it, the evidence they based their case on was fingerprints,” Len sighed. “So, we don’t have anything on the real killer either.”

Barry finally relaxed, “I know that. I also heard that you are retired, that's good" the boy sighed "I just wanted to know why you never told me.”

Mick laughed loudly and that cut through the tension easily. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”

"Len, why didn't you trust me with this?" Barry demanded, again, completely ignoring the fire lover.

"I guess I didn't want to scare you away. You were just a boy with strong beliefs of what's wrong and right, who had just been picked up from the streets by a criminal. Then... it kind of became a habit. I also didn't want you to think less from me" blue eyes were shinning with sincerity as they gaze down into hazel ones.

A light blush dusted Scarlet's cheeks, just noticing how close the two really were. Which strangely caused the younger's heart to beat so loudly it was all he could listen to. The teen also felt touched by the man's sincerity, knowing the ex-thief did not put himself out so easily. 

"I get it" Barry finally replied "I also know that you are all good persons... but promise me that you won't ever kill anyone. Ever again"

Len gazed into those beautiful hazel eyes, shinning so fiercely that he could not refuse the boy. Then again, Leonard had never enjoyed killing. 

"Ok. I promise" in Len's opinion Barry's beaming smile was worth it.

"Great! Let's have breakfast then" suggested the teen, heading back to the kitchen.

Soon everyone followed Scarlet, except for Len who stayed back. He sighed, something icy slipped down his spine. The thief's intuition was usually right something which he had always been proud of... but right now Len really wanted to be wrong. Otherwise, something really bad was going to happen soon.


	7. The Trap- Part One.

[A year later]

Barry looked back on his, short, 15 years life. He had glowed with happiness during his first 11 years. Then, for 6 months, he had been just a shadow of himself. Then he had run into Len, and then he broke free from those chains. It was like living with his parents again.

 

Except not, while Mock and Lisa tried they couldn't ever match up to what he had been living before that incident.

 

And Len? Well, Len was an entirely different story.

 

Barry had at first only been peripherally aware that he had been nearby. Then, after Len had revealed the fact that he had been a thief but had retired for him. It seemed like they had opened up to each other. Not just that, but Barry was becoming more aware of him.

 

He could tell when it was Len who leaned over his shoulder to get a look at his homework. The teen knew where the man criminal was in the house anytime, which was great cause he knew when to stop acting like a good little brother. There was no need to hid his little crush when Len was at Angels and Demons. 

 

That was when his crush could come out to play. Every single waking moment the thief was out of the house, the teen's hormones raged. So, Barry was careful to keep it hidden. At least from Len, Lisa had been paying close attention and Mick just thought it was a teenager thing. So, with that, Barry had free reign.

 

Lisa leaving to college in Keystone City thowo learn how to be a social worker, was a hard punch to the Rogues. None took it good, specially Len. But Lisa wanted to make sure that no other kid went through what she and Len had to. And Keystone had one of the best programs, with that on mind Len could not stop her and simply wished her the best. 

 

If Scarlet and Len cuddled on the same bed the night swithhe left, dry tears on their cheeks... well, that's only for them to know.

 

That didn't mean Len would not keep an eye on her sister. While the retired thief already managed a chain of bar/club from Coast City to Central City to Starlight City (he had to keep his mind elsewhere otherwise he would end up accidentally planning a heist), nothing stopped him from opening one nearby her college for her to manage. It will reassure him that Lisa had a safe job and he could have someone there to keep an eye on her for him and give him daily reports.

 

In middle school, Barry had made best friends with Caitlin and Cisco. With two sciencey teens like him Barry could let loose his inner nerd. They had joined  Science Olympiad and always won nationals. They even ended up in many academic and science magazines. They were called the promise of tomorrow, three prodigies that had a bright future ahead.

 

Between that club and the normal science club it was no wonder they kept up with the particle accelerator with increasing happiness and joy until that happiness exploded on day the one and only Henry Wells of S.T.A.R. Labs invited their Science Olympiad team to come and tour the place the day before and during the activation of the accelerator.

 

Caitlin had squealed, literally squealed. And as most girls squealed over cute things, this could be counted as adorable in that girl's list.

 

Cisco had stared at the announcement in bewilderment, "We've never gotten this kind of attention before?"

 

Barry, well, something burning slipped down his spine. A warning and a sign of something else he couldn't place. He remembered that feeling of the burning right before he'd seen the man in the lightning and flames. But this little shock, it felt like joy. His eyes narrowed, something would happen, he just knew it.

 

When he broke the news to Lisa, over the phone she had said that as long as he didn't get caught she thought he would be okay. Mick just sort of shrugged and figured they could just trust him not to rut them out even if he did get caught. Len, in a rare show of concern, immediately blurted no.

 

Barry blinked, that was actually unusual. Len was usually the one who said yes to everything.

 

"Why?" The teen asked, and because of the no secrets thing they had going, besides the mutual feelings of course, Len told the truth.

 

"I just have a bad feeling."

 

Barry snorted, "Yeah, that's the least of it."

 

Len looked at him, "It's not about getting caught. It's something far more dangerous, or good." The man paused, "I can't tell, and its been a long time since my instincts have given mixed messages like this."

 

Barry sucked in a sharp breath, that look. It took his breath away. He managed an answer anyways. "How are we going to know if I never try."

 

Len gave him a look. "If anything suspicious happens, call me."

 

That was as close to a yes as he would ever get.

 

_Next stop. Central City!_


	8. The Trap-Part Two.

Barry stared out of the bus windows at the glimmering city.

”It’s so clean.” He said, awed. And compared to Coast City, which was more of a shorter building town, this city shined brightly with various skyscrapers.

Cisco laughed from the spot next to him and punched the teen in the shoulder, Caitlin rolled her eyes and drew their attention away with a gasp. “S.T.A.R. Labs is on this side of the highway!”

They clambered over the aisle to get to see it. There, the particle accelerator made up the bulk of the outside of the building with the other labs and such on the inside. “Wow,” they chorused.

A couple of the other members of the club snorted. “Like what you see? If you want to work there it will probably be closed before you can.”

Barry’s intuition tingled at that statement. The same burning sliding down his spine, again. They wouldn’t work there.

“Why do you say that?” Caitlin asked, annoyed.

”Because, there have been rumors that Wells pushed too fast for its building and that it’s actually unstable.” Ronnie answered.

Cisco grimaced, “Don’t say stuff like that, you’ll jinx it.”

The head at Barry’s spine burned hotter, making his moan inside his head:  _Oh_   _no, it’s already been jinxed, Cisco. Already been jinxed._

Caitlin slapped his shoulder jokingly, “Now, now we all know there is no such thing as jinxing.”

Barry rolled his eyes, displacing his misgivings so they wouldn’t notice how worried he truly was. “Yes, yes. Blah, blah. Yada, yada, yada.”

The entire bus erupted in laughter and they almost didn’t notice when the bus stopped at the front doors of S.T.A.R. Labs. “We’re here!” They chorused, and Mrs. Rodenberry just thanked the bus driver, and stepped off. Taking a deep breath, the teacher slumped and then immedietly straightened. She was at the place that was on the very edge of tech. There was only one thing to do, look good and hope to get hired.

The kids poured out of the bus with their usual abandon. Barry, Caitlin, Cisco, and Ronnie trailing slightly behind the rest. The tour was only around the main rooms and then they would see from the front seat, outside, how the particle accelerator turned on.

When it was almost time for the show to begin, they were about to leave when Wells appeared and told Barry, Caitlin, and Cisco that they were invited to stay behind and see how it was turned on from the inside. The heat burnt so much that Barry almost flinched at how much it hurt, but it did it’s job: letting Barry know that he should not stay.

 _I’m starting to think that Len was right and I should have stayed at Coast City._ Were Barry’s thoughts as he gazed into Mr. Well’s eyes.

”No thanks,” Barry said politely.

Caitlin and Cisco eyed him oddly but followed his lead. “No, thank you,” they chorused.

”Why did you do that? We could have watched in person!” Cisco complained loudly.

Barry stayed silent for a moment. “Just a feeling.”

Caitlin looked at him oddly, “Okay, we’ll see what will happen.”

That night, while everyone was focusing on the partical accelerator, Barry snuck out- trying to get as far as he could from that place. He reached a secluded zone where he didn’t have to fight people to get back to the hotel, but his burning intuition was slowly growing with each step he took... until the next moment...

**Bang!**

The accelerator exploded, the storm that had been gathering that night swirled oddly. Lightning crackled and the heat in his heart grew hotter and hotter. Barry was frozen, he couldn’t move!

Then a lightning struck him. The last thing he could remember were the screams of the poeple, before he blacked out. 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

"Cisco! Where is Barry?!” Caitlin shouted throw the screams of the people and the sound of the storm.

”How should I know?! He was right here a moment ago!” Cisco shouted back, worried sick about their best friend.

Not knowing what to do the teens followed their teacher to a safer zone, still searching for the hazel eyes boy as they moved. It wasn’t until they heard a woman’s pitch scream and a man demanding someone to call an ambulance that they found him.

Right there in the middle of an alleyway, surrounded by a crowd, laid Barry Allen.

The scent of burn skin so potent that it was bordering nauseating.

”Barry!” Caitlin screamed from the top of her lungs, then she fell on her knees and broke into tears soon being followed by Cisco.

_Could the evening get even worse?_


	9. Feelings~

**Lisa:**

When Mick called with Len destroying stuff in the background, I thought it was another home call... or at least, it would be if I hadn’t been watching the horrible news about the practical accelerator accident. It destoyed me, my dear cousin stuck by a lightining and almost dying on the table more than once. I just could not breath, I felt like my whole world was ending.

The same goofy boy who lent me a shoulder when a boy broke my heart, while Len and Mick were breaking that bastard’s nose. The one who sat next to me and tutoring me in science, when everyone else thought it was a loss of time that I was not good enough. Thanks to him and his insistence I worked hard and got into one of the best social servecies programs of the East Coast. 

The one person who looked up to me could... could be leaving us soon.

Not even thinking it twice I booked a bullet tren to Coast City. Then I proceeded to pack things, praying for my cousin’s life.

**Mick:**

When we received the call... let’s just say that the house did not go unscathed. While Len broke everything on sight I had to act like the adult this time around and call Lisa. The next thing I know I am waking up with a hell of a hangover in middle of nowhere, burn marks all around my car. I think that at one point there was a building, but I could not be sure as all that was left were ashes.

I could understand why Lisa and Len would brek down over that boy’s almost death... but not me. I liked the boy, but we were never particulary close. If anything we argued almost all the time. Kind of like I used to with my old man... so, that’s why...

I never really had a son, not planning to- being asexual and all made it difficult. But I guess that boy is the closest thing I’ve ever get. 

Memories of me going to his track games, making a shelf to put all his trophies, going to the parent reunions that the school organized, picking him and his friends up from the movies... before I was aware of it, I had tears rolling down my cheeks. 

Who could have guessed that this old heartless man, still had space left for one more person in his heart.

**Len:**

Looking down on Scarlet’s body I could not contain the tears. The once feared, ice-cold thief was now on his knees for a teenage boy- the world really has a funny way of screwing with your life.

The thought of not being able to see his delicious blush ever again or hear his beautiful laugh or have those doe soulfull eyes towards me.

For being such an observant and intelligent man I believed to be how I could have not noticed my... my deeper feelings for Scarlet I will never know. Even Mick knew before me. Maybe because I refused to accept having romantic feelings towards a boy way younger than me.

My train wreck was stopped by a man in a train wheelchair entering Scarlet’s hospital room. Giving him a closer look I quickly recognized him.                                                                                        

“What gives you the fucking right to come in after all you’ve done?!” I hissed at the man who caused all this.

”I deeply apologize for all the damage I’ve caused to your family Mr. Snart” red bells rang inside my head, how could Harrison Wells know who I was when not even the police knew “I just wanted to offer my help with Bartholomew’s treatment... after all, it’s my fault”

The guy gave me a bad vibe, not to mention the hidden hatred in his eyes when he gazed at Scarlet’s body and the same cold feeling in my spine, the one I felt when Barry left for Central City.

”No” I replied “We want nothing from you” I snapped and before he could open his mouth to protest I cut him off “I want you gone, now!”

Not being capable of doing anything else, he left. 

I rapidly started making plans. That man knew about my real identity and surely about Barry’s, not to mention that we were from Coast City. But he did not know about my new last name, or that Lisa was in Keystone City. Thank goodness I did not have my chain of bars under my name and no one but my men knew I worked there. Harrison could get Scarlet’s new name from the medical record here or school record, so he and Mick will need new identities for the meanwhile. 

It will be tough for the boy when he wakes up and knows his friends are in another city but I have to do what I have to to protect him. We will move to Keystone City for the time being and get him home medical attention. I will have my people keeping an eye on Harrison, something tells me he has been watching Barry for a while now... that this accident, wasn’t really an accident.


	10. Epilogue... for now.

**Len** :

The move was harder than I had expected.

While, excusing ourselves from the school and Barry's friends was easy. They totally bought the lie about finding a professional in another city that could help Scarlet out. Even Barry's closest friends knew better than opening their mouths about them being in Keystone City, if someone asked- Scarlet had warned me against Harrison.

The problem lies on the emotional value we had on the city. It wasn't like with Central City, no matter how many times we left the city we knew we would return to, though with Coast City there was no reassurance that would happen. Specially when our safe heaven was beng targeted by a mad scientist.

We never thought we would get attached to another city that wasn't home... then again, we had never stayed for so long in a city that wasn't Central City.

Six months had passed, we were finally able to stable Scarlet... or rather we finally found out that his heart did not stop, but in reality his heart beats so fast that the machine could process it.

Whatever that lightning did was not humanly possible... or at least, at the moment it was not.

 **Barry** :

Fire.

My whole budy was being burned alive.

Everything was going too fast... too intense.

I could not breath, electricity ran all over my body- I felt as if my veins would burst at any moment.

Someone... no, _someones_ were talking to me. But they were doing _so_ slow that I could not understand a thing.

I did not even know what was going on!

At least I didn't until I was stuck by lightning again, or that's how I felt like. The next thing I know I was awake clutching into Len's body.

When I looked into Len's eyes I was completly stunned, why were his eyes a teal color now?! Not to mention that there seem to be a burning flame in them!

"Scarlet... your eyes... they are orange..." he whispered.

The same was going on with me?! That lightning really did screw me up... but how much I still don't know...

 **No one's P.O.V** :

But I'm sure you want to know, don't you? I'm sure you do. The lightning didn't only spark the speedforce, but had also awakened something else. Barry Allen was the last in a long line of Flame users, the last Vongola Sky...


End file.
